Slap in the Face
by AlohaFox
Summary: My version of Things Change. Terra returns, not remembering anything before her medical attention after her revival. But what happens when it all comes back to her? Rated for hinted sexual content and reference to violence. BBTerra
1. Best Treatment in the State

_Hey, here's a stand-alone continuation of the series' finale, Things Change. That episode has truly confused me to the point of no return, but I think this is really what happened, before and after. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and I think this isn't going to be your average Things Change continuation, in my opinion._

**BBB**

**Prologue- A month before meeting Beast Boy again**

"Hello, how are you?" The young principal of Murkami High School seemed to have too many pearly whites as she stood up to shake Terra's hand. Her dark black hair was up in a tight bun, and her glasses were narrow enough to be pretty.

Terra smiled tiredly. "I'm doing fairly well, thank you." The principal smiled.

"So, do you want an application?" she asked, already getting the paperwork out. She handed it to her along with a pen. Terra leaned over and scribbled down all the necessary info to enroll in this private school.

"Are your parents here, honey?" the principal, who was addressed as Mrs. Higuchi, asked as Terra handed the form back to her. "No, ma'am. They aren't here," she replied. "Well, what's the number to-" "Oh, no. They're not here. At all," the blonde corrected.

Mrs. Higuchi looked at her for a long while, and nodded slowly. "I see," she said crisply, "Well, Miss... Markov," she continued, reading the form, "I am afraid that I need a parent or guardian's signature for you to enter this school for a full run, along with medical history and all records from previous schools you've been to."

"Oh, I'm not planning on staying for very long, ma'am," Terra interjected suddenly, a plan forming in her mind, "I'm only staying for first term." The woman's head nodded understandably. "Okay. That's more reasonable. Very well, Miss Markov. I will allow you to stay until we let out for the holidays."

Terra nodded, and Mrs. Higuchi smiled, but this smile was different. She cocked her head to one side, studying the girl.

"You look familiar," she stated, "But then... you look different."

Terra looked slightly confused. "... Maybe you just saw me in the streets or something," she suggested.

Mrs. Higuchi remembered her for another reason, but the girl sitting in front of her wouldn't understand. She shrugged and got up, walking towards a closet.

"What are you doing?" Terra asked, getting out of the chair. The woman turned around, holding something in her arms.

"You're a... small?" she asked, "Or smaller? We have extra small." "Try small," Terra asked, "I might grow." The bearer of the uniform nodded. "You might be right. You never know at your age when you're gonna grow overnight..."

She grabbed a few more things and turned to face the blonde. "All right. Here at Murikami High, we have uniforms, for both girls and guys. For you, a girl, you have a navy skirt, an Oxford short-sleeve, knee-high socks, a black tie, and Mary Janes." As she said each article, she handed them to the new student.

"And if those happen to be too big or too small, just tell me and I'll fix it for you," Mrs. Higuchi added. "All right, ma'am. I'll find a job so I can pay-" "No, this is on the house," the principal protested. Terra gaped at her. "Are you serious?" "Yep."

"Thank you, ma'am. I just need to get some schooling. I just got out of a hospital, you see," Terra said sheepishly. The principal looked at her with sympathy.

"Well, you stay here as long as you wish. Tell me when you are leaving, and I will withdraw you from the school. It's simple as that, Terra."

"Thank you."

The shook hands, Terra placed the clothes in her new bookbag, and she walked out into the sunshine, towards the abandoned motel that she claimed as hers on the edge of town.

She almost skipped as she walked, actually. This was the longest time she had been out in the fresh air since...

**BBB**

_"YOU... CAN'T... CONTROL ME... ANYMORE!.!"_

_I screamed as I felt the power overcome me, and Slade, whose hand was on my breastplate, holding me above his head... Then there was a flash of everything and nothing, and I was alone, with no Slade. I fell to my knees in exhaustion._

_There was a rumble, and lava burst out of the wall. I looked up._

_"No..." I groaned. A volcano. Triggered from my power. "Crap."_

_I floated down to where the Titans were, and Beast Boy reached out and grabbed my shoulders. _

_"Terra! C'mon, we gotta go." I kept my eyes away from him, as I whispered the truth, "I have to stay." There was a brief silence between us. We stood up straight as Beast Boy squeezed my shoulders a little._

_"No!" he exclaimed, horrified. I looked around at the former lair. It was getting really bad. I had to move fast. "I'm the only one who can stop it," I pointed out. I needed to stop this. No matter what the cost._

_"Please, Terra, you can't! It's too late," Beast Boy pleaded. I reached up, and tucked the right side of my hair behind my right ear, seeing him clearly for the first time since the carnival two weeks ago. Was it really two weeks...?_

_"It's never too late," I said, quoting him earlier. I gave him a small smile, the one I knew he loved so much. His hands trembled and I thought I could barely see some tears in his eyes._

_I reached out and hugged him. I knew it would be the last. At first, he didn't do anything, but then he placed his arms around me, and I felt him squeeze, trying to store this in his memory. God, he was shaking... _

_Tears threatened me. "You were the best friend... I ever had," I whispered._

_I broke us apart, and I shifted the rocks under his feet so he would join his team. His team._

_They ran out, out to safety. Good. I felt the power surge through me, and the hair began to blow. I ducked my head, and my hair lifted up from my face so it flew around. Why did I keep this good ol' power inside for the past two weeks when I just used my fists?_

_I felt the heat increase. Was it the lava or just my power? I'll never know._

_I raised my fists up, and let it all out. I screamed, feeling heat and pain just as one tear rolled out of my closed eye onto my left cheek... blackness..._

_Then, no blackness. There's this white, then red... Is this heaven? I thought you were supposed to travel through a tunnel with a white light at the end to get to heaven. Maybe this is hell. Oh, well. I deserve to-_

_**Beeep.**_

_Beep?..._

_"I'm getting a pulse. I have a pulse. Weak, but gaining," a strong male voice announced. He sounded like one of those doctors on TV dramas like ER._

_I tried to open my eyes, but they felt like they weighed a ton. Why were they closed? Where was I... Who was I...?_

_I opened my mouth, and tried to speak, but nothing... nothing came._

_**Terra?**_

_What? Who-?_

_**Terra. They did it. You're alive.**_

_Alive? What are you...?_

_**You died, like, a moment ago. But you're in the hands of doctors in the best hospital in the state. **_

_I died? But I can't be dead. I'm-_

_**You're gonna be in the burn unit. Seriously, Terra... You're charred black and red. I can see you.**_

_That bad? Blisters, too?_

_**Oh, yeah. All the goods.**_

_Ha ha. Listen, who are you? Why are you inside my mind?... Urghh... Wait a minute... _

_**I freed you when I fufilled my prophecy, and when I freed everyone else from stone, I freed you, too. I didn't know until you died. Until a minute ago, you were laying down, comatose, in the former lair of your former master, Slade.**_

_What? I don't understand..._

_**I'm going to keep you a secret, okay? You don't remember now, and you might never remember. Maybe it's how... it should be... Oh, well. If you do, just call us. We'll help you.**_

_Thanks. But... Hey, wait! Aren't you..._

_**My name is Raven Roth. I'm a Teen Titan. Remember that.**_

_Raven Roth. Teen Titan._

_**That's right. Good luck, Terra. Not many people get this second chance.**_

_As she left me, I let myself slip back into unconciousness. Sweet bliss..._

**BBB**

_"**OWWWWWWWWWowowowowow!.!.!**"_

_I screamed when I awoke to a terrible, peeling pain in a section of my leg. I tried to open my eyes, but I could only do it halfway. I saw two nurses on either side of me, and one came up by my head and held it._

_She kissed my forehead gently upon a sore spot. "Take it easy, honey. I know it hurts. Only one more. One more and then you'll be done for the day, I promise." I leaned into her shoulder as the peeling came back._

_"**OW!**" I howled again as another section of burned skin was peeled off. I leaned back into the pillows, breathing heavily, like I had run ten miles all of a sudden. I looked up at my nurse. Other than my eye area being swollen, my vision was actually clear. The nurse had a pixie face, with short green-dyed hair and purple contacts._

_She smiled and handed me a water bottle. "You must be thirsty," she said, as I reached up with a bandaged hand to unlock the cap and take a long swig._

_After a moment or two, I stopped drinking to set the bottle on my bedside table and look at the nurse._

_"Excuse me, but who are you and where am I, exactly?" I asked, sitting up a little. She held my hand. "Well, I'm Zelda Jameson, your personal nurse, and we are at Halo of Love Hospital, in the burn unit."_

_I couldn't believe it. _

_"But... I never played with..." I clutched my head again. Lava, heat. Power, tear. Hair, earth. Surge... a scream. _

_What are these things? _

_"Do you remember?" Zelda asked gently. "My name... Terra..." I murmured. She nodded. "Do you remember the volcano?" she asked._

_"Volcano? So that's where the lava and heat come from!" I exclaimed. It was all coming together now. Except for the surge, scream, and tear. And power... and earth. Weird, definitely. Maybe it'll come to me in a dream, who knows?_

_"I can't get anything else. I remember hair blowing, a power of earth or something... a scream, then I'm here," I said to Zelda as she took a tray full of food and placed it on my lap. There was Jello, a wheat roll, and some scrambled eggs. I grabbed the Jello and began to dish it out with a spoon into my mouth._

_"Well, I didn't expect you to remember it all at once," Zelda assured me, "I know it'll come to you soon enough." With that, she left the room. "Try and eat. I've seen sticks with more meat on them."_

**BBB**

_For the next month, I was peeled, fed, and therapied by the doctors and nurses of Halo of Love Hospital. After those awful weeks, I have come to remember that the power of earth was somehow connected to me (some bits were still unclear), and the hair that was blowing was my hair (when I had arrived, it was all gone, burned off. Now, it was at normal length, past my shoulders. My hair grew really fast), the tear was my tear, and the scream was my scream._

_I stood in front of the mirror, proud of how far I'd come from the first day. I had gained some weight (I was still skinny), my hair was shiny and golden, my eyes no longer puffy (although there was still a faint scar running from the bottom of my left eye all the way down my cheek. I didn't remember how I got that, either). Other scars were speckled across me, in some areas more than others._

_I hugged Zelda goodbye, and headed off for town. I wanted to go to sleep, and find a place to sleep._

_Memories of my childhood haunted me, but everything beyond that was blank, in little pieces. I hoped that I would see something before my entire childhood was forgotten by the time I was twenty-one._

_I came across an old abandoned Motel 6, and claimed it, with only the clothes and backpack on my back._

**BBB**

_Well? You like, loathe? R&R, please! Thank you!_


	2. Memories over Algeria

_Well... I only got one review from the last chapter. But I think that the more I go, I'll get more reviews. Finally, we see more action in this chapter, I think. Enjoy, and REJOICE! SCHOOL'S OUT AT LAST! For me, anyway... ha ha._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or Motel 6, either. Sorry for forgetting about that on the last chapter..._

BBB

**Chapter 1. Memories Not Forgotten**

"Maybe I made a mistake," Terra muttered to herself as she walked to her locker the next day, after she enrolled. Already students were staring. The whispers were torture.

"Dude, isn't that...?"

"I thought she died..."

"Maybe it's just a look-alike."

"With that scar on her face? I don't think so."

She shrugged it off and she unlocked her locker easily. Another girl, about her height with red hair and green eyes, walked to the locker next to her and opened it.

"You're new here, aren't you?" she asked. Terra didn't look at her. "You can tell?" she asked. "I've seen more looks like that lately than ever," the redhead stated, "But no worries. You look pretty sharp. Do you have classes with me?"

She whipped out her schedule and Terra looked at both of them. "Yep, every one," she said.

"Cool. We'll have to stick together. I'm Candi," the redhead held out her hand. Terra shook it. "Terra," she replied, giving her a smile. She seemed nice.

Candi grinned. "Well, first period is... Social Studies. It's not too far away. C'mon," she said, and pulled the blonde towards the room at the end of the hall.

Soon a tall, lean African-American girl joined them.

"Who's this?" she asked, pointing to Terra. "Oh, this is Terra," Candi said, backing off a little so they could shake hands.

"Newbie, huh? I'm Tameko," said the girl. Terra grinned. "Nice to meet you. Do you have Social Studies next?"

"Tameko's got the same classes as us," Candi informed. "Cool. We'll hafta stick together, like peas and carrots," Tameko smirked. Terra giggled.

BBB

**_"You know, Raven, I never liked you."_**

_What the heck is this? Why do I think about this? This must be a memory. Raven... Wait! She was the one who communicated with me the day I woke up from "death". Okay... got that figured out._

_**"I never even wanted to KNOW you. The others might've been fooled, but I always knew you were a liar."**_

_**"Oh, really? Is that why you let me live in your house and steal all your secrets, and-"**_

_**"SHUT UP!.!"**_

_Liar? What did I lie about? Who are the others? Why did I "live in her house and steal all her secrets"? Why is Raven so-_

"Terra!"

Terra gasped and looked up. "Yes?" she asked, nervous. The class snickered softly. Candi and Takemo looked at her oddly.

"Terra, I asked you four times, 'Which country is Algeria in?', but what do you do? You just sit there and-"

"Africa."

The Social Studies teacher, Mr. Fergo, paused. "Excuse me?" he asked. "Africa," Terra repeated, "The country of Algeria is in Africa. I heard you say that."

Mr. Fergo blinked a few times, but nodded. "You're right. Hmm, I guess you were listening after all."

He turned around, and began to lecture again. Terra briefly rolled her eyes, looked down, and another wave hit her.

_**"You're not getting mad, are you, Rae? Oh, better be careful. Beast Boy told me ALL about your temper tantrums."**_

_Who's Beast Boy? If Raven communicated with me to help, then why did she hate me, here? Did I do something bad?_

_**"Anger is pointless. My emotions are under control."**_

_**"Nya-nya-nya. 'Anger is pointless.' And you're calling ME a liar?"**_

_Emotions... _Raven has problems with her emotions!.! _I REMEMBER! I REMEMBER THIS! I hurt Raven and her friends somehow, and we're fighting... I have power of earth, and she has power of telekinesis. And her emotions are powerful, too... I REMEMEBER!.!_

_**"What hurts the most, Raven? That I tricked you?"**_

_**"Stop it!"**_

_I had her on the ground, in the mud. _

_**"Or was it that deep down inside, you really believed I was your friend?"**_

_Her eyes... such an angry red. All four of them..._

_**"I TRUSTED YOU!.! WE TRUSTED YOU!.! WE GAVE YOU EVERYTHING AND YOU TREATED US LIKE DIRT!.!.!" **_

_I remember she scared me, then... But then, this voice..._

_**"Good, Terra. Now finish her off."**_

_A man... Was I working for him? Yes... what was his name? Raven told me... Urrgh! I can't remember!_

"Terra!.!"

Terra looked up once more, only it was Candi, not the teacher.

"It's time for Biology. C'mon, we have five minutes."

BBB

_I can't believe I remembered Raven and me battling. Okay, so I controlled earth, she was a telekinetic. She was part of a team, I did something to hurt them. Steal all their secrets... Hmm..._

_**"I hope you aren't expecting a goodbye kiss."**_

_**"Terra, you can't."**_

_**"Watch me."**_

_Who's that green dude, the changeling? He looks so sad... Who is he? Beast Boy?_

_Suddenly, another wave hit me._

_**"Beast Boy... I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen."**_

_**"Then why did you let it?"**_

_**"I don't know, okay? I don't know. Slade... He saved me... saved me from myself. He said I owed him, but..."**_

_**"So it was all a game? You were just pretending?"**_

_**"No."**_

_Beast Boy was the green one. We had something going on... romance, maybe? _

_**"You said you'd be my friend no matter what, remember?"**_

_Suddenly, the image is crystal clear and I see his face, so dark, so angry, so sad, overcoming me._

_**"Slade was right. You don't have any friends."**_

_No... don't cry..._

"Terra? You okay?" the Biology teacher, Mrs. Harrison, asked, turning from her math equasion at the board.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Terra managed to choke out. Candi, beside her, placed a hand on her shoulder. "You sure?" she asked. Terra nodded.

_Beast Boy and I had something... What? I'm crying over something I can't remember totally! I feel so much heartaching sadness, but I don't know why. Calm down. The answer will come._

BBB

Weeks flew by, and Terra's friendship with Candi and Tameko grew. They talked all the time, and Terra was soon relieved of distraction from class. She excelled in all except Geometry (but she worked hard as a perfectionist), and she almost felt sorry for leaving so soon. Soon, Halloween went by and Thanksgiving was coming up.

Since the blonde girl remembered she was a geomancer, and had tried to skip a few rocks along the ruins of the motel home she lived in, and she came up only with success. She felt oddly happy at this, but she remembered how her power had brought pain to Raven and the almost-not-remembered Beast Boy, and she kept it supressed.

Terra was walking back to the motel after school one afternoon when she heard fighting going on. There was this big, white monster running around, and she saw bolts of green and black, along with blue. She saw whirls of green, and several animals. Even a dinosaur.

_These must be the Teen Titans. I remember green, blue, and black. Raven was black, a redhead was green, and a robot kid was blue. Yeah..._

Suddenly, a slab of concrete was thrown into the air, and landed close by the blonde girl and some people she stood among. She covered her eyes against the dust, and lowered her arm a second later.

She looked around, waiting for the creature. It was distracted. Good.

She then heard a voice.

"Terra!"

She looked towards the voice, and found the same green guy from her "memory".

_Beast Boy? I cannot remember him... Why did he call my name? I thought I hurt him. _

Terra watched as he was thown aside, and she took advantage of the moment by running the rest of the way to the Motel 6.

BBB

_Woot! Terra is getting more memories! Beast Boy spies her! Review, PLEASE! I'll be your best friend forever..._


	3. Allergic to Memories?

_Wow, more reviewers! That does me gooood... ha. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I will be waiting for more from a broader list of 'em! Thanks again. I think you'll like this chapter a lot. I had fun writing it._

BBB

**Chapter 2. Clueless**

The next day, Terra went to school, as usual. She tried not to think about the green guy that called her name on the street. Maybe he wasn't Beast Boy. How many green guys were in Jump City?...

After last bell rang, she waited by the gate for Candi and Tameko, as always. They had to talk with their Geometry teacher about possible after-school tutoring on Wednesdays. She kept her head down, still self-concious about the stares and whispers.

She saw them approach, and she smiled.

"What's up? I was wondering of Mr. Vlanderfield kept you for one of his lectures!" she exclaimed jokingly. Candi giggled as Terra went on, "Or was it that he couldn't be swayed?"

Tameko smiled, raising her eyebrows and rolling her eyes as saying _Well, you were almost right._

"Terra!"

Terra and her friends looked over at the metal fence, and Terra saw the green guy she saw on the street yesterday, who had called her name.

_What the...?_

"It's me! Beast Boy!" he continued, grasping the bars with his gloved hands.

Candi looked at Terra inquiringly. "You know him?" she asked. Terra shrugged. "I dunno anymore," she muttered, and they began to walk out, as usual, to go to the town library to do homework.

"Terra, wait up!" the green one shouted, and he ran towards the gate.

The three girls kept on walking. "Maybe if you ignore him, he'll go away," Tameko whispered. Terra raised her eyebrows in a look that said _Maybe_.

Suddenly, the green boy leapt in front of them, and he looked at Terra. A grin formed on his face. Not a nasty grin, not your general "Great to see you!" grin. It was a grin of pure joy, like he didn't think he was going to see her today. Or ever.

He raised a hand, waving, and smiled wider.

Terra stared, as did her comrades.

"Sorry. You've got the wrong girl," she apologized. _I don't think you're the guy I "remember". I don't think I'm the girl that you looked up at from your weak position, dangling from the edge._

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped slightly. He was very obviously shocked.

"You don't remember me?" he asked, his voice soft. "Sh-Should I?" Terra asked, the pieces still fuzzy, like underdeveloped pictures from a digital camera. "I'm Beast Boy. We used to hang out together. You... thought I was... funny," he said, his voice becoming insecure. He gave her a sheepish grin.

Terra couldn't help but let a small giggle escape her lips. He was so cute... just like in her "memories". So, this was the same Beast Boy from her half-memories. He thought she was someone he was involved with.

_Boy, is he in for something._

"See? I can still make you laugh!" he stated triumphantly. Terra's smile evaporated instantly. She began to get annoyed. _If I throw a stick, will you go away? If you're the changeling I remember, why don't you go ahead and go canine?_

"Like I said, you have the wrong girl." She began to turn around, to join Candi and Tameko, who were beginning to look a little frightened. Was this green, elfish dude a stalker?

She felt a gloved hand on her shoulder, and she paused.

"Maybe if we talk, you'll remember," Beast Boy suggested. Terra kept her eyes on the ground. _Maybe if I pretend I'm not the Terra he wants me to be, he'll leave. The canine-stick theory isn't gonna go over well._

"I've gotta go," she insisted. "Just one pizza? I'm buying. What have you got to lose?" he persisted.

Suddenly, Candi and Tameko closed in, two of their hands on Terra's arms, the other two on Beast Boy's, squeezing threateningly. He began to squeak in pain.

"She's _not_ interested," Candi hissed. "Yeah, so _get lost_, Brat Boy!" Tameko barked. "It's _Beast_ Boy..." Beast Boy retorted, and broke away, clutching his wrist, trying to get circulation back in.

The two defenders still stood in front of Terra, but they released their grip on her arms. Terra looked at the young man in front of them, who looked extremely downcast, not to mention flushed.

"Maybe one slice," she offered out of sympathy. Tameko and Candi whirled around, caught completely off-guard.

Beast Boy forgot about his wrist and smiled, his eyes twinkling.

He grabbed her wrist and smiled. "Oh, great! I'll take you to our favorite place!" he said, and proceeded in leading her away from the school grounds.

"You sure you want to go with this guy?" Candi asked cautiously. "It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow," Terra said calmly.

_**"So, what made you change your mind?"**_

_**"Excuse me?"**_

_**"About going out with me. It was the ears, wasn't it? Ladies love the pointy ears."**_

_Okay, I hear the voices. I remember feeling warm, loving lips just brush against mine... before something stopped us. Who was "us" anyhow? _

_Beast Boy and I? Nuh-uh... But I remember... green eyes, soulful eyes, closing gently as he moved in for the kiss._

"... And then, we pushed the Brain into the freeze machine," Beast Boy concluded. For the past fifteen minutes, from the time they left school, to the point where they sat down at the pizza parlor, to where they ordered sodas, he was recounting the events of the past year for his long-lost friend. He obviously thought Terra understood it all. But Terra had to admit, it was a pretty cool story.

"Brain freeze... That's funny!" she said, laughing. It _was_ funny. No lie.

Beast Boy sat back down, and smiled. "_Finally_ someone gets my joke!" he exclaimed, and he laid a hand on his cheek, supporting his head. He looked at her adoringly.

"You haven't changed a bit, Terra," he murmured. Sure, he noticed her scars, but still... Her eyes were still that captivating, ice blue. Her hair was still yellow like the sun. The blonde looked into her Coke, happiness gone. _He really thinks I am the Terra he was involved with._

"Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked. "Because you are Terra," he replied. "How can you be sure?" Terra asked.

"You... You look like her, you talk like her, you laugh like her," he listed, studying her intently. "Don't you remember _anything_ from before?"

The ex-geomancer clenched her fists. _Some things... but I think we have each other mixed up. You're not the Beast Boy I remember, and I'm not the Terra you remember. The Beast Boy from my "memories" is another green boy._

"I just remember high school," she stated. He looked at her, his face now taking on a new expression of recollection and solemness.

"You used to live in the desert before joining the Teen Titans," Beast Boy said. _Desert... desert... Whoa, I think I remember..._

"You couldn't control your powers at first..." he continued. A memory hit her.

_**"It's okay, Terra! I'm here... I'm here..."**_

_**"You... won't-?"**_

_**"I'm not gonna tell anybody. I promise."**_

"...Then Slade helped you," the green changeling finished, his tone darkening.

_Slade! The voice! The man I worked for... his name was SLADE! Ah-ha! It was the former master Raven told me about!_

"You wanted to take over the city... But in the end, you couldn't go through with it, and you saved us all," Beast Boy concluded his recollections to let it sink in between them.

Terra looked into her glass, remembering lava, the quarry tornado (vaguely), and the desert.

_Lava... volcano... "saved us all"? Did I, like, die for his team or something? And this Terra sounds like an over-the-top juvenile delinquent, anyhow._

"Why would you want to be friends with someone who was so much trouble?" she asked.

"Because I know who she really is," came the calm reply. At that moment, a large, steaming, delicious-smelling pizza was set on their table, and Beast Boy smiled.

"One supreme pizza, extra anchovies, hold the mushrooms; made just the way you like it!" he exclaimed, winking.

_Anchovies... I don't think I should enhance that detail... make an excuse. Can you be allergic to anchovies?_

"I don't like anchovies; I'm allergic. I should get going," she said rapidly, and she knocked over her glass, causing it to spill. She saw her face, and she suddenly remembered something.

_Mirrors... reflections... _

_**"Look at yourself, Terra! Is this really who you want to be?.!"**_

_Robin. I remember that name, the kid who said that to me! Robin!_

_**"I'm just not gonna be good enough for you, am I?"**_

"No, stay!" Beast Boy pleaded, "I don't eat anchovies, either. We'll get whatever you want," he urged. Terra didn't make eye contact.

"I've got a lot of homework and I need to get to the computer lab," she said. Actually, her homework was all done. She had finished it during study period that day.

"We've got an awesome computer at the Tower, and you'll get done in half the time!" Beast Boy persuaded.

The blonde girl stopped. _Tower... Titans Tower. Why do I remember this? Did I live there? Yeah! _

"Okay," she said, "but I've got to be home before dark." Beast Boy grinned. "'Kay," he agreed.

As he led her away, Terra was only attacked by more memories.

_**"Wanna go out?"**_

_**"Huh? Yeah! I-I mean... That's cool. But, why didn't you just knock on my door?"**_

_**"Do you trust me?"**_

_**"More than anyone I've ever met."**_


	4. Dreams of Denial

_Thanks for the reviews, Clone Daniel and Tianimalz! _

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.**_

BBB

**Chapter 3. Dreams or Something More?**

"Whoa... This is cool!" Terra exclaimed as she walked into the Tower's Main Operations Center.

"This is where the Titans get their mission assignments," Beast Boy explained, "Over there's the kitchen, and that's where we play video games..."

Terra remembered this. Very clearly, but she was still doubtful if these were her memories. She remembered giving away something, like a code... or more than one code. To that Slade master.

"Must be nice to live here," she commented, sounding vague. "You used to live here, too," Beast Boy said.

The blonde smiled gently. "I think I would remember living in a place like this," she said.

_**"Whoa... Nice digs. And check out the view! I can't believe you guys actually live here!"**_

_**"Mi casa es su casa. So, you want the grand tour, or...?"**_

_**"Got any food?.!"**_

"C'mon, I'll show you your room!" Beast Boy offered, and led her down to the elevator, up to the rooms.

Terra and Beast Boy went to the middle of the room, and looked at the ceiling.

"Stars..." Beast Boy recollected, "Because you liked to sleep outside."

_Desert... starlit nights... no! I can't remember... I don't want to remember..._

"Not me," Terra said, "I hate camping out. Too many bugs," she explained, and she walked a few ways over to the bed.

Suddenly, something caught her eye on the table nearby. It was the heart-shaped box.

She opened the lid, and found the mirror inside. She tried to remain vague in expression, but her mind was racing.

_**"Beast Boy... It's... I don't know what to say!"**_

_That box... was so beautiful. I felt... happy. It must've meant a lot._

_**"You could say yes, 'cuz I'm about to ask you out on a date."**_

_**"Oh, um... Wow."**_

_**"So... Wanna do something tomorrow night?"**_

_I feel the urge to lie. Something else was going on, and I couldn't do it._

_**"Tomorrow. I... I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I can't."**_

_**"But-"**_

_**"I just can't!"**_

_**"Um... Okay. Maybe some other time?..."**_

"I made that for you. Remember, Terra?" Beast Boy asked, his voice gentle. _He still calls me..._

"It's cute," Terra replied curtly, "Listen, I really have to go." She shut the box, and they walked to the shore.

Terra looked out at the sunset. It was so beautiful. She remembered this beach, oddly...

_**"I can't stay."**_

_**"Why not?"**_

_**"Places to go, people to see..."**_

_**"C'mon... you know you wanna stay. We've got free cable, indoor plumbing, and all the tofu you can eat!"**_

_**"Ha ha... tofu? You sure know how to charm a girl."**_

"I think your friend's out there somewhere. I hope you find her," Terra murmured.

"I already have," Beast Boy replied, picked up a rock, and skipped it out onto the water. He picked another one up, and held it out to her.

_Rocks... I remember... Why? Was it me who...?_

"Beast Boy," the blonde sighed. "Come on... You've gotta remember! Something... Anything!" Beast Boy groaned, his voice on the brink of tearful explosion. Terra looked down and shook her head.

There was a moment of silence before she saw Beast Boy lean down and pick up a clod of dirt.

_What...?_

"You can move the earth!" he said, and threw the dirt into her face before she could duck. As the dirt seeped through her skin and hair, she remembered.

_**"Sorry! I'm so stupid... Don't tell; please don't tell!"**_

_**"Terra, it's okay. You can't totally control your powers. So what?"**_

_**"Promise me you won't tell anyone! Ever!"**_

_**"Sure."**_

_**"Swear it."**_

_**"Okay! I promise. But I'm telling you, it's no big deal. If my friends knew, they'd still like you."**_

_**"... You just don't understand."**_

"Why did you do that?.!" she nearly screamed, and she ran off, tears coming for not particular reason except for the fact that her scar under her eye began to sting from the mud.

She could barely hear Beast Boy screaming, begging for her to come back, that he would help her remember how to use her powers.

She stopped once she got to the Motel 6, and ran to the bathroom. She washed her face, and she looked into the mirror.

"Dammit... What part of 'You have the wrong girl' didn't he understand?.!"

She sighed, changed into her pajamas, and looked up at the stars from a window.

"Okay, so he _is_ Beast Boy. He said so himself. His voice is the same from my 'memories', even. He thinks I'm Terra. I'm _not_ Terra. We must look alike or something, since he didn't let it go... and doesn't have any desire to let go."

She got up from her chair, and fell asleep once her head hit the pillow.

That night, Terra dreamed.

_**"Come with me, Terra, and I can teach you to shine."**_

_The things he offered... I feel torn. _

_**"But... my friends told me you're..."**_

_**"You don't really believe they're your friends, do you, Terra?"**_

_**"They took me in, gave me a home."**_

_**"And when they find out what's wrong with you, they'll reject you. Just like everybody else."**_

_**"Beast Boy-"**_

_**"-Can't keep his mouth shut forever. He'll tell them."**_

_Anger. That made me angry._

_**"He PROMISED."**_

_**"He LIED."**_

_I blew up._

_**"Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone!.! Oh... don't lose control, don't lose control..."**_

_**"Now, Terra. How can you lose something you never had?"**_

_I... couldn't handle..._

_**"NNNOOO!.!.!"**_

_**"No one else understands you, Terra. No one else can help you. I'll be waiting."**_

_Slade... Slade... offered to help Terra... control. Beast Boy... didn't tell them, but she thought he did._

_Went away... got help from the worst person possible. Came back... as a lie._

_**"Why can't you just trust me?"**_

_**"Because you don't deserve it! I have to meditate every day to keep my powers under control! Do you honestly think I can just suddenly trust you with yours?.! Trust is something you have to earn!"**_

_**"How? How do I earn it?"**_

_**"You can start by trusting me."**_

_Saved the Tower, with Raven. Made it onto the team. They trusted her, but she gave them to Slade, without them knowing it until she gave away their security code. Terra led Beast Boy out, just so he would be safe. She still had a knack for him..._

_**"Beast Boy, if you knew something bad about me, would you still be my friend?"**_

_**"Of... course..."**_

_**"I mean, if you were really my friend, I could tell you anything. And, no matter how horrible it was, you'd still like me, right?"**_

_**"Yes. I promise, Terra. No matter what..."**_

_Slade was the one who interrupted what would've been their first kiss... He ruined it all. No, scratch that. Terra ruined it, for she went with him in the first place. If she hadn't met with him in the quarry, then maybe she would've joined the Titans and gotten help from them. She and Beast Boy would've kissed that night._

_No... Slade said, earlier, that he's been watching Terra. He would've gone after her anyway. Man, this is so confusing! Terra just had bad luck following behind her trail._

Then, a buzzing noise made Terra, the real Terra, jolt awake from her dream. She was sweating, and fumbled a few times before finding the snooze button.

She got dressed, snagged an apple, grabbed her backpack, and ran the rest of the way to Murikami High.

_Terra... you're the most horrible friend that I've ever seen. Boy, if I was you... But what if I am you...?_

BBB

_Terra has gotten 75 of her memory back! Hallelujah Chorus goes in the background ALL CHEER WITH ME!.! WOO!.!_


	5. Finally

_Hey, peoples! Well, this is it. This is the chapter you have all been waiting for. It's the chapter... where everything falls into place. _

_Yep, that's the one. I hope you enjoy this, because I loved writing it._

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans... sadly enough.**_

**Chapter 4. Back to Reality**

"Candi! Tameko!" Terra called as she approached her locker, the apple gone. They smiled and hugged her as she stuffed her backpack into it.

"Did you get rid of Beast Boy?" Tameko asked. "I think so," she replied, "But I'm not sure. He might come back. If he does, and he approaches you, don't say a word."

"Got it, girl," Candi swore, "So, was he, like, a stalker or something?" "I don't know."

"Did you have the pizza?" Tameko inquired. "Yeah, we had pizza, and he rambled on about me being this Terra he was obviously involved with, and when I told him I wasn't, he only got more desperate."

"Wow, harsh," Tameko murmured. "Yeah, but it was the only way to get him off my chest," Terra groaned as bell rang for first period.

BBB

"Terra? Can I see you a moment?"

As Terra approached the Social Studies teacher, she tried to look open.

"You're leaving soon, right?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, I certainly hope you enjoyed your time here at Murikami High. I mean, this is one of the best schools in the city. You should be honored to have come here, and-"

"Sorry, sir, but I have to leave," Terra excused herself as politely as possible, and went out the door.

She saw the thing she didn't want to see. She saw Tameko and Candi, arms crossed, faces agitated, standing in front of Beast Boy, who also looked edgy.

He turned to look at her, and she made a face before walking towards next period class.

"Terra, wait! I'm sorry for yesterday," he tried. "I'm gonna be late for Biology," she said, not looking at him.

That period, particularly boring for the fact that they watched a video about the elements, passed by slowly. Terra let her mind fall asleep, and she hoped that Beast Boy would be gone.

Surprise, surprise.

"Are you gonna keep running away from me?" he asked, his voice getting edgy after she ignored him as she walked out.

"I'm not running from anything. Go! _Home_!" she ordered. "Not until you talk to me," he replied. "You can't keep following me," she pointed out.

"Why not?.!" he spat. She pointed at the door in front of her.

"It's the _girl's_ locker room," she said. He blushed, and she shut the door.

She went to her locker, and she took off her shirt roughly, revealing her bra. The skin underneath it hurt really bad as it was stretched by the rough movement, and Terra winced, grabbing at it. The girl next to her stared, obviously noticing the ex-geomancer for the first time.

"Whoa... What did you do?" she asked, pointing to her chest.

Terra looked down, and saw something that made her gasp. She had not noticed this before.

There was a burn line, black and indented, all the way around her chest, like the bottom of a steel bra was stuck to her.

_**"You failed me, apprentice. I ordered you to destroy the Titans; you did not. I commanded you to fight, and you ran."**_

_Hurt... Ow... Am I bleeding?..._

_**"Unnhh... You can't treat me like this!"**_

_**"Can't I?"**_

_**"Unnh! Ohh..." **Pain... so intense..._

_**"Who else would have you, my dear? You've done terrible things. Unforgivable things. Where else could you possibly go?"**_

_**"Anywhere but here! I'm sick of fighting, and I'm SICK of YOU! Unnhh... Urrgghh..."** Breastplate! That's what's on my skin?..._

_**"You'll find that quite impossible. Your suit has a neural interface, built into your nervous system. Into your skin. It's part of you, and so am I, Terra."**_

_Fear. I... I have to get away, get out!_

_**"No..."**_

_**"You chose this life, apprentice. It's too late to change your mind now. Far too late."**_

_No way, bud. I'm leaving you. Forever._

_**"But it's not too late for me to walk out the door."**_

_**"I'm afraid it is, my dear. You see, you no longer have any control in the matter."**_

__

_**"You swore to fight at my side forever. That's a promise I intend to make you keep."**_

Terra shook her head.

_Terra from my memories... no. It's not "Terra from my memories". _**I**_ am the Terra from my memories. _**I** _am the Terra that was involved with Beast Boy. _

**I**_ betrayed the Teen Titans. _**I**_sacrificed myself, stopping the volcano _**I**_ had created on accident, using so much power _**I**_turned to stone._

**I**_ was the one on the Ferris Wheel with Beast Boy, where the kiss almost happened. _**I**_was the one who skipped rocks with him, fought with him, thought he lied to _**me**

**I** _am the Terra who liked supreme pizza, extra anchovies, minus the mushrooms. _**I**_ am the Terra who liked stars on the ceiling of _**my**_ room, because _**I **_loved to sleep outside, because _**I**_ had lived in the wilderness for a while._

**I**_am the Terra who Raven hated; _**I**_am the Terra who Beast Boy loved... and who loved Beast Boy._

**I am Terra**.

"Terra? Terra?"

Candi, dressed in her gym uniform, stood in front of the stock-still Terra, who was still holding her Oxford in her gripped hands. The blonde's eyes got misty--no, an understatement. They looked positively _soaked_.

"Terra, what's wrong?" Candi asked. Terra ducked her head, and Candi grabbed her arm as the tears began to come.

"Go... Go on to class. Tell Brandenburg that I'm sick and I'll sit out," Terra whispered. Candi nodded and did so, learning early on that Terra was not much of a sit-down-and-explain person.

Unless she was with Beast Boy. But, of course, Candi didn't know that.

As soon as the locker room was empty, Terra sat down on the bench, balanced her forehead in her palms, and sobbed.

BBB

By the end of the period, Terra had stopped her crying jag and cleaned herself up, back in her shirt, hair combed, face clear of blotches, eyes clear.

"Terra? You better?" Candi asked, as Terra waited by the door. "Yep. Way better," Terra replied, but she was worried that Beast Boy was still there. Would she go with him?

_**Bbrriinngg!.!**_

Terra and Candi looked out the door, and found no Beast Boy. In fact, for the next three periods, Beast Boy wasn't there. Terra felt a little sad, actually. Did he give up on her so easily? He couldn't have...

Then, in sixth period--study period--Beast Boy found her in the library. He sat down across from her, and soon fell asleep. She tried to look occupied, but she was actually deep in thought.

_Beast Boy wants me to join the team again. That would go against my game plan, my _first_ game plan. I don't want to ruin it. In my first life, I was a marionette, made by fear. That's not me now. But I want him to know that I..._

A buzz startled her, and she heard a familiar "Ahh! I'm-I'm awake!"

"Sshh!" people hissed around them. She looked above her masses of books, and furrowed her brow slightly in embarassment. "Go outside!" she whispered. He looked at her, equally as angry. "So _now _you're talking to me?" he asked.

"Sshh!" the librarian hissed. Terra looked back at the changeling. "You're going to get me in trouble! Go outside!" "Not unless you come with me," he ordered.

The librarian looked like she was about to hop out of her chair to whack them both on the head with her ruler. Terra threw the Titan a look, and walked outside, gathering her Geometry book and other things she needed.

They met in the hall, and looked at each other for a few seconds, minds racing.

Terra broke the silence. Seventh period was coming up. "Okay. You've got two minutes," she announced.

"Maybe you don't remember, but I do," Beast Boy said, reaching his hand out to her. "You're my friend. You're a Teen Titan."

She backed away. "You're wrong," she insisted.

_I can never go back, Beast Boy. I have done so much, and in so little time. _

"You don't belong here, Terra," Beast Boy said. That name... brought so much pain...

"_Stop_ calling me that!" Terra demanded shrilly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked away, at the floor.

_You don't know... how powerful a word... a name... is, Beast Boy. Especially mine._

"It's who you are," Beast Boy said calmly. _Exactly, Beast Boy. That's what _hurts. _Hurts so, so very much..._

Terra's eyes welled up momentarily at that thought. "What do you want from me?.!" she whimpered.

_To fess up? Then what'll you do, huh? Be triumphant? Go tell everyone? Don't tell everyone, please... I can't handle my identity right now. It's too much._

"Why can't things just go back to the way they were?" Beat Boy asked, to no one. He turned to her, his eyes soft. "You were so happy, then."

A moment of silence passed, again.

_How can you say I was happy, Beast Boy? I was decieving the team. I couldn't control my powers, until I became an apprentice to your team's arch enemy? Even when I was with you, I was feeling a pain, within, covered by the smile, because I knew I was only hurting you._

_I hurt you. I hurt myself. I was _anything_ but happy._

"Things were never the way you remember," Terra concluded, "Now just leave me alone." _I'm going onto a new life. Why don't _you

"Here," Beast Boy said, digging out a communicator out of his belt, "Take this, in case you're in trouble. In case you need me; you can call me anytime."

Terra stared at it, and remembered the two times she had been offered this device.

BBB

_**"Wow..."**_

_**"Of course, you'll need more training. I know you have a little trouble controlling your powers, and we can help."**_

_I dropped the communicator, my heart sinking. Slade was right..._

_**"You TOLD him?.!"**_

_**"I didn't!"**_

_**"You PROMISED! You LIED to me! You LIED!"**_

_And later... weeks later..._

_**"So... Does this mean I'm-?"**_

_**"A Teen Titan. Glad to have you on the team."**_

__

_**"I don't believe it. They actually trust me."**_

_Boy, is Slade gonna be proud of me!_

BBB

Terra broke away from the memories, back to the present.

_I can't. Then I wouldn't be letting the past go, like I need to. To move on to this new Terra Markov._

"I don't need it," Terra decided. "But-" Beast Boy began, but Terra began to walk away.

"Time's up," she clipped. Even though she wasn't looking at him, Terra could feel those green eyes bearing into her back.

"Terra..." he trailed off, his voice getting sad. Terra stopped, hugging her books to her chest.

_I need to change, Beast Boy. Can't you see that? Please... I need to change from my old self. I have this chance, and I want to take it._

"Things change, Beast Boy," she murmured, and turned to face him. "The girl you want me to be is just a memory."

Another silence, staring at each other.

_Oh, God... Beast Boy, please forgive me. I'm so sorry._

"Come in, Beast Boy!" a call came from Beast Boy's communciator. He picked it up. "We need your help!" It was Robin.

Beast Boy shut it off, and looked at Terra once more. "Come with me," he pleaded, his voice soft.

Terra shook her head.

_Please. Let me go. We both need to think for a while._

"_You_ go," she said, "_You're_ the Teen Titan. It's who you _are_. That's not me. I'm not a hero. I'm not out to save the world. I'm just... a girl with a Geometry test next period and I haven't studied."

Bell rang. Terra backed up, never taking her eyes off of Beast Boy.

He still stood there, even as she backed away, farther... farther...

_Please... Please. Let me go. Can't you see that I will always love you? That I will die with the knowledge of a time when you loved me?_

She went into class, and asked for a hall pass to the office. When she walked out again, after tardy bell rang, she saw that Beast Boy was gone.

She expected to be happy, but she only felt... sadness. She had once again pushed him away.

She walked down to the office, and asked Mrs. Higuchi for withdrawal from Murikami High. The principal didn't hesitate when she saw Terra's face and heard the urgency in her voice.

When Terra had changed back into street clothes, and was walking out into the sunshine, a quote she heard before popped into her mind, fitting the past two days to a glove.

_Some people never get happy endings._

BBB

_Such a sad chappie to write! But DAMN there was so much REVELATIONS! I hope you enjoyed them. It was exhilerating to write them, that's for sure! I was practically crying as I wrote Terra's scene in the girl's locker room. _

_Well, the only way left to go is up from here, so hold on and stick with me! _


	6. Digging Deeper into the Memory

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans**_

**Chapter 5. Homecoming**

Terra had packed her backpack with all of her worldly belongings, which wasn't a lot, and had hit the road by sunrise the next day. She knew where she was going, and she knew how to get there.

She had changed into new garb she had purchased with the charity money the nurses gave her from the burn unit. She now sported no uniform, but a grey T-shirt, jeans that fit to a glove, being fashionably too long, working gloves, some brown hiking boots. And... a small butterfly clip.

_It's not like the old one, but... _

Terra gathered a bolder from the ground, and she hopped into it, gliding into the sky towards Lawrence, California. It wasn't that far from Jump City, really. Just about ten miles out.

She felt clean and new. She loved it. She had taken showers before, in the Motel 6, but this time, after remembering... it felt better. She actually smiled as she rode over the city. In fact, she felt so ambitious she decided to take a swing by Titans Tower.

It looked calm this morning. As she got by the area with no windows, however, she heard voices conferring.

No changes. The team went on, as if nothing had happened. Did Beast Boy tell the others...?

She ached to fly by the window side, but she was scared. Were they around there? Then she would be busted. She would blow her plan of moving on.

She wasn't lying to Beast Boy, not really. She was just giving him that extra push to move on, like the scar on her chest did to her in the locker room. But secrets are never kept. Not for very long, at least. Some way or another, they're discovered.

She decided, since she felt so good, to go ahead and swing by the window side. She flew around to it, and she found Starfire looking out.

Terra remembered how Starfire had never lost her wonder for Jump City. She always found it facinating, and she looked out at it every day. The bay, Terra had to admit, was beautiful and a sight to behold.

She was on the edge, so Starfire didn't see her until Terra rapped on the window. Starfire looked up, and she gasped.

She flew up, and looked Terra face to face.

"Friend Terra!" she squealed, muffled, through the strong glass. "Hey, Star," Terra smiled, noticing how Starfire was just on the brink of breaking through the glass to give her one of her infamous squeezers .

"Oh, friends! Come look at this!" Starfire shouted. "No, Starfire-!" Terra stammered, and she covered her face with her hands as she shot off westward.

The Titans rushed in. "What happened, Starfire?" Robin asked. Starfire looked back, and pulled up short at the disappearance. She shook it off, and turned back, smiling. "I saw Terra!"

"See, see? Told you!" Beast Boy gloated. "But, you said that yesterday, Terra didn't remember anything," Raven said, confused.

"That cannot be, Raven. Terra said my name when she saw me!" Starfire protested.

"She did?.!" Beast Boy squeaked. "Yes," the Tameranean replied proudly.

"SHE REMEMBERS! I KNEW IT!" he shouted. "I DIDN'T EVEN MENTION NAMES, AND SHE _KNEW_ IT!.!"

Terra, who had snuck back to the windowless side, heard him and smiled gently.

_I do remember... Aren't you proud?_

She sighed and soared off towards the place she never imagined herself returning to: her hometown, Juricksville.

Terra arrived at the entrance of the town quickly. She placed her boulder in the neighboring canyon, and began to walk into town, trying to stop shaking from nervousness. She would be alone, but she didn't care at the moment.

_I want to put all this back. Without causing pain._

Terra looked around, and noticed some older citizens were staring at her. She looked straight ahead, heading for her old house. She knew she would be recognized, recognized for the disasters she's made all over the state and the states around it. She knew it, so why did she even worry about why they were staring?

A few minutes more, and she came upon the outskirts of town, where she came upon an old run-down shack that was so ruined she couldn't even consider it a house.

Terra knew she couldn't live in it. Oh, well. She could sleep outside. She liked stargazing, anyway.

_**"Stars... because you liked to sleep outside."**_

_**"Not me. I hate camping out; too many bugs."**_

Terra flinched at the memory. _Oh, Beast Boy! I wish I could face you now... but I can't... maybe later. _

She looked at the house, still, memories flooding in...

BBB

_"**Terra! Where are you, bitch**?.!"_

_To say Terra's father was angry was an understatement. Her father was drunk, and agitated. Never a good combination. Especially if you're a vulnerable seven-year-old._

_Terra tried to keep quiet as she hid in the broom closet, but it was hard. It stank in there, like Clorox. She was allergic to Clorox; it made her sneeze._

_She couldn't hold it in - her father was right outside - _

_"**ACHOO**!.!"_

_The door swung open and Terra was thrown out roughly into the cramped hallway. Just as she was sitting up, rubbing her head, her father got her to her feet, yanking her ear, and yelled, "**What happened**?.!"_

_"**I-I don't know**..." Terra sobbed, wincing from the pull on her left ear, "**Jus-Justin, this boy in school, called me a bad name, and I got m-mad, and suddenly these rocks came at his head**..."_

_Her sobs became hiccups. Her father slapped her face. "**QUIET! Now, what else happened**?"_

_"**He-He-He fell to the ground, and he-he began bleeding out of his ears, nose, and mouth**..." Terra's sobs became hiccups once more, and she began to scream hysterically, her words coming in gasps, "**DADDY, I'M-SO-SORRY! I... JUST CAN'T-CONTROL IT! I T-TRY TO... BUT... I-I CAN'T**!"_

_He threw her down roughly. _

_"**I should've suspected it was you and your damned emotions," he growled, "God, you're such a fucked-up loser! Your GODDAMNED emotions were the cause of all this! YOU KILLED YOUR OWN MOTHER!.!**_"

_Terra laid there, quietly taking it in. She was used to it all. He said those same words to her ever since she could sit still long enough to listen. Except for that last part about her mother's death._

_"**Dad, Momma was sick, she was dying anyway**," she sniffled, sitting up, "**She asked me personally to kill her... so she would be put out of her misery**." Then, she got angry._

_"**DO YOU THINK I KILLED HER ON MY OWN WILL?.! DO YOU THINK I WANTED TO KILL HER? DADDY, I LOVED MOMMA!.! BUT SHE BEGGED ME TO KILL HER... She looked awful... she was crying... as she laid in bed...**"_

_Her father growled and picked her up, carried her outside like a sack of potatoes, and threw her into the yard. But he wasn't done, oh, no. He took her clothes off, all of them, and pushed her down._

_He went to the barn, grabbed the horse whip, and walked back to her, still in the grass. _

_Before Terra's mother died, and her father took over as a drunk, they used to have a nice farm, with horses, sheep, goats, cows, and chickens. But her father soon ate the cows and chickens, and was currently starving the horses and goats. Some were already dead. The barn reeked with decaying flesh, but the man was too drunk to feel or smell it._

_Terra's father reached her before she could get her senses together again. He let the whip lash itself against her tiny, bony, naked back. She held back a scream. She couldn't cry, though. She already did that too much. She was dried out._

_He whipped her until she was practically skinned. Everywhere was bloody on her. Everywhere, even her face and her lower femininity. Every square inch was bloody._

_After those antagonizing two hours, her father dropped the whip and left her there. She supposed he thought she would die, but she didn't. _

_She was tougher than she looked. Always was, always would be._

_A few hours after the whipping, Terra crawled over to the swimming hole and cleaned herself up as much as she could. It was torture; everything stung._

_Terra ran away from that house at sunrise, snatching some clothes from her closet, and stole her father's pocket money from his wallet. Lucky for her, he had $500 in it. The other lucky part about all this was that her father was asleep from hangover. When he was asleep like that, he could snore through World War III._

_They actually had good money; her father just spent it all on booze. _

_It took nearly a year for Terra's skin to be healthy once more. She learned to fly on boulders in the canyon and levitate rocks for self-defense, lived in caves, and learned first aid in the wilderness. She went to the stream to bathe, and she learned to sleep, really sleep._

_Sleeping under the stars did that to you._

_She went to towns all over California, blowing all of her father's money by the time she was twelve. She only spent it on food, clothes, and a backpack with other camping supplies._

_Terra Markov was on her own._


	7. Discovery

_All right. I immensely apologize for the delay. I just got the new Microsoft Word Processor, and I am still learning my way around it._

_I also went through an intense writer's block. It's like I know the ending, but I don't know the middle._

_But anyway. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or any of the stuff in this chapter. (Such as DDR, or Garnier Fructis…)_

BBB

**Chapter 6.**

"Please. Can you sense her now, Raven?" Starfire asked worriedly.

The empath shook her head in frustration. "I can't seem to feel her anywhere. I've been trying in all ways possible for the past twelve hours. Nothing is working."

All of them were in the Main Operations Center, in the space between the couches and the giant TV screen/computer screen. Like she said, for the past twelve hours, Raven had been trying to contact Terra.

Raven knew that Terra was alive, but the last time she had spoken to her was when she had been freed of her stone prison, with amnesia. Now, she couldn't even contact her, no matter how much Beast Boy said she was out there.

As a matter of fact, the green changeling had been sitting on one of the couches nearby, his demeanor sullen and unlike himself. The others had tried not to disturb him, for they didn't want to go into territory that Beast Boy didn't want to go into.

All Beast Boy could think about was what Starfire had told him twelve hours ago. That Terra had swung by and remembered Starfire. If she remembered Starfire, then she had to remember _some_ of all that happened to her.

"I'm not getting anything," Raven repeated after one last try. "I'm sorry, Beast Boy. But I'm beginning to wonder if this is even Terra at all. I mean, I thought she was, but-"

Raven talked too much. And Beast Boy heard what she said loud and clear.

Suddenly alert, he sat up from his slouched position, and gaped at the dark girl.

"… …What did you say…?" he whispered.

Raven bowed her head.

"I contacted Terra the minute she was alive again, in physical form."

Everyone gasped, as they remembered what she had said yesterday,

"_I did everything I could to bring her back. Nothing worked._"

"Raven. Obviously you contacted Terra months before now," Robin stated.

"Why did you hide that from us?" Cyborg asked.

"Because I didn't do it on purpose!" Raven exclaimed. She sighed. "Just…just listen to me, all right?"

Everyone nodded.

"Remember when I defeated my father and everything that had been turned to stone was instantly reversed?" she asked.

It didn't take long for the Titans to realize what she had said.

"Of course…" Robin murmured.

"I can't believe we didn't even think of it," Cyborg sighed.

"We were so occupied with the Brotherhood of Evil soon after that we could not even consider it," Starfire realized.

"I was so busy with the Doom Patrol and the Brotherhood of Evil…" Beast Boy whispered. "Raven…I'm sorry for getting mad at you earlier. This…this is all my fault."

The other Titans gasped again.

"No, friend Beast Boy, that is not true," Starfire countered fiercely.

"If this is anybody's fault, it's Slade's," Cyborg said. "After all, if it weren't for him following her around from the very beginning, she wouldn't have gotten into such a mess."

"Cyborg's right. Beast Boy, this is not your fault. There's nobody to blame but the evil that influenced her," Robin finalized.

Beast Boy still wasn't convinced, but he nodded.

"Thank you, Raven. You tried really hard," he managed to choke out.

Raven, sensing his intense sorrow, bit her lip to hold herself off from crying.

"Whatever…" she murmured and teleported to her room. She still wasn't used to feeling so much. And as much as she had hated Terra in the past, right now she was upset that she wasn't able to contact her.

Secretly, Raven had forgiven her a little bit. Not entirely, but a little bit.

The empath sighed, slammed herself down on her bed, and began to meditate.

BBB

Terra was having a restless night, as well. She felt an odd feeling in her mind that someone was trying to reach her, but was having trouble.

The only person she knew who could do that was Raven.

But Terra wasn't ready to go back. She was still raging an internal war upon herself, in a debate whether she found herself worthy or not.

_I know Beast Boy would be happy to have me back. Starfire, too. But Raven won't, nor Robin or Cyborg. But I don't deserve any of this…_

_Besides, it's not like BB's going to up and forgive me for my temporary amnesia…or leaving when everything came back, anyway._

It was hours ago that Terra has left her hometown (she couldn't handle being at her house any longer), and she was once again on the streets of Jump City, knowing she would be hidden well if she tried. Thanks to her patrols as Slade's apprentice, she knew every single street and alley in the city.

Memories of those patrols…they were still painful, because it caused a chain reaction. She remembered the patrols; the showdown with the Titans; Beast Boy's face as he realized her betrayal.

It was all brought back to her by one simple memory.

Soon, Terra found a deeply hidden alleyway, where she curled up by the heater from the neighboring Italian restaurant, and was soon asleep.

No one would disturb her, no one would hurt her.

Well…not someone, maybe. But some_thing_ just might.

It was getting colder. Very quickly.

BBB

That night, Beast Boy slept soundly, but had a heart-wrenching memory that engulfed his dreams. It was a very intimate, yet fun memory. One of the precious few that he shared with Terra before she admitted her truths.

BBB

"_Hey, Terra. Wanna play some DDR?" he asked one rainy Saturday, when hero work was thinning. So they were both out of uniform, in T-shirts and jeans._

"_Sure! Let's go," Terra replied eagerly. She loved to play DDR._

_They traveled down to the basement's big-screen TV, with the PlayStation. They took their shoes off, and Terra laid out the mat. They only had one. It's just how the package came. Beast Boy got everything else set up, and soon there came the screen, asking him to choose a song._

"_Do you want to go first?" he asked her. _

"_No. You go first. I went first last time," she reminded him._

"_Oh, right. You're right."_

_So he stepped up, and chose the song **Constantinople** on Standard. He did a little shake with his hands; it was his good luck charm_

_Beast Boy got an A for his score. He grinned. Higher than his lowest, which was a B. He was, for some unknown reason, exceptionally good at this video game. Maybe it was because he was so nimble. He would never truly know._

_Once Beast Boy was finished with his dance, he stepped off for Terra to chose. She stared at the screen, mocking serious thought. Then she smiled, switching it to **Butterfly** on Standard._

"_I knew it!" Beast Boy laughed._

"_It's my favorite song," Terra smirked._

"_Only because it gets stuck in my head!"_

"_And mine."_

_So as she took the first few steps, Beast Boy sat back and watched her dance with fascination. Watching the screen, she wasn't watching him, so he could stare for a while and not be obvious._

_He watched her slim legs as they moved around the mat's arrows in perfect timing with the song. Her long, blonde hair was bouncing, too, since it was set in a high ponytail, swishing around like the style's name--a pony's tail._

_As she finished a particularly difficult step that she had been striving at for so long, Beast Boy didn't hesitate to comment, "Great job, Ter."_

"_Thanks," she replied, not even breaking a sweat. She still didn't turn around, either. This was the ending, and she was up to 125 combos, the digital crowd cheering._

_A few seconds later, the song was finished, and Terra stood in a victorious, defiant stance until her score--AA--appeared._

"_YAY!" Terra cheered, throwing her arms up triumphantly. Beast Boy leapt up, laughing victoriously, and hugged her from behind, lifting her off the ground for a moment._

_His face was buried in the crook of her neck, so he was extremely tempted to kiss her there, but he only touched it with his lips, closing his eyes and sighing, not putting pressure on it like he would if he were kissing her._

_Still giggling, Terra felt something tender, gentle, in the crook of her neck that sent shivers up her spine, and her laughter became softer and loving._

_She hooked her arms around Beast Boy's waist from her position and smiled. "What's your record?" she asked softly._

"_Lowest is a B," he whispered back, smelling her hair. He loved the fruity scent. "What shampoo do you use? Random question."_

"_Garnier Fructis," Terra replied. "'For hair that shines with all its strength'," she added, quoting the commercial._

"_I just asked because your hair smells delicious…"_

"_Thanks, Beast Boy. I try."_

_Beast Boy laughed and playfully slapped her butt before releasing her. "C'mon, I'm starved."_

_Terra, who was on the verge of squealing with happiness from that action, nodded. "Me, too."_

_And so they took off for the kitchen, hand in hand, smiling and pumped up from the music._

BBB

Beast Boy woke up from his sleep slowly, relishing the cleansed feeling. He remembered his dream, and a small smile graced his features.

"That was fun," he murmured to himself as he got out of bed and into street clothes.

BBB

Terra wasn't holding off so well.

She awoke, all right, but she soon realized that she wasn't well at all. Her bones ached when she was still, and they roared with pain when she even wiggled her toes inside her boots.

She opened her eyes, and squinted into the too-bright sun that lingered at the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. She looked away, letting her tender baby blues succumb to the light.

A minute later, when they were normal again, she tried to hoist herself up, but found it extremely exhausting and painful.

_Okay, Terra_, she told herself, _if you want help, you have to help yourself by getting to a visible spot where people can see you._

She slowly counted…

1.

2.

3.

She picked her upper body up off the ground with her slim arms, shaking, and rose one knee so she could support her weight down there. Then, she picked up the other one. Soon she found herself, painfully, on all fours.

_Hey. At least I can get somewhere now._

Terra took a breath, and began to crawl.

The first step was dizzying. Her world tilted sideways and she fell. She cursed under her breath, getting up briskly, making it hurt even more.

_This is worse than the hospital's skin grafts…_

She crawled slowly, and kept on breathing rhythmically so oxygen could get into her, making her more and more sane and alert. She couldn't afford to be distracted and halfway there now. She was vulnerable in a sometimes dangerous city.

Soon, she was at the end of the alleyway, where she found a payphone. She gazed at it in thought.

"I could call the Titans and ask them to help get me to a hospital," she pondered aloud. "Or, at least, call BB."

She shifted her weight to her knees, so she could reach with one hand for the phone, and the other for the support of the tiny shelf the payphone had.

She didn't make it. She got the phone, but the weight shift was too much for her, and she fell to the ground.

Her world was making her nauseous.

_Haven't eaten in hours…_

_Beast Boy…help…_

_Dad, get out of my memories…_

_Momma, where are you?_

Terra closed her eyes to regain focus.

"… …Help… …" she croaked to the people passing by.

Help didn't come. They didn't even look at her. And she didn't blame them.

She opened her eyes, and her heart leapt in her throat for sheer joy.

Starfire and Raven were standing at the mall across the street, talking, standing outside the doors. They were out of uniform.

Star was clad in a pink athletic skirt, a black tank top, and white flip-flops. Raven was in a simple black long-sleeved T-shirt, black jeans, and black All-Stars.

"Starfire…Raven…" Terra gasped.

They didn't hear her. Terra now felt a little stronger in her voice.

"Star…fire! Raven!"

_God, my voice is so ugly… How could I get so sick in one night?_

Starfire and Raven heard a sickly voice calling their names, and they looked over.

Terra was lying on the ground, face-up, and pained.

Starfire gasped. "Terra!"

Raven, alarmed also, ran over with her redheaded friend over to the geomancer. She gasped--she looked even worse up close.

Terra seemed to lose all health in a single night. After all, it was under thirty degrees--cold for November.

Her skin was deathly pale--it had a bluish tint to it, even. Her face was gaunt, and her clothes seemed to hang on her. She looked dead, yet she heard her breathing.

Raven felt for a pulse, and nodded. "She's alive, but she's seriously sick."

"Oh, friend Terra, please do not leave us a second time!" Starfire pleaded on the verge of tears.

Raven bit her lip. "C'mon, we need to go home. Get her to the infirmary."

She engulfed the three of them in her soul-self, and teleported them back to the island.

"Starfire, I need you to carry Terra. I'm gonna take the lead, here," Raven said once they got there. "I'm gonna do some work on her, along with some of Cyborg's scientific medicine."

"Right."

Starfire took Terra's fragile body into her arms. She hardly struggled under the weight.

Raven lead the way as they flew up to the roof, where Raven made a pathway through the window for herself and Starfire.

The other boys were in the hall, but they heard the noise, and they came in to find Starfire carrying an innate Terra in her arms, Raven looking deathly pale.

"We need to get Terra some medical attention _right now_," she said rapidly. "Cyborg, get the infirmary ready to treat whatever's got her."

Soon they were in the hall, walking rapidly. All but Cyborg, who ran to get a stretcher.

"She was found on the streets," Starfire explained. "I think that she slept there last night."

"Last night? It was thirty degrees!" Robin exclaimed.

Beast Boy was silent. All he could do was stare at the girl that he thought he had lost forever. Twice.

Cyborg came back with a dresser, and Starfire laid Terra on the white sheets. Terra groaned a bit, squinting.

"Where…where am I…?" she whispered hoarsely.

Beast Boy grabbed her hand.

"Shh, Terra. Don't exert yourself. You're very sick," he murmured, trying to be calm. "Do you remember who we are?"

Terra didn't lie again. Her new life plan was sabotaged as it was, and she didn't want to lie to him or the others. Lying would only make things go down again.

"…Yes, Beast Boy. I remember…I remember…everything," she sighed. "No matter how much I wish I didn't."

Beast Boy clutched her hand tighter.

"All right, Cyborg, we need to work together," Raven said. "The rest of you, wait outside."

Beast Boy looked down at Terra one more time, and heard the two words that had been haunting her mind for the past three days:

"I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I'm so, so sorry…"

That was it.

Beast Boy's grip broke; Terra disappeared behind the doors, leaving Robin, Starfire, and Beast Boy in the hall.

Beast Boy didn't hold it back; try to be the tough guy like Cyborg or Robin. Or try to block it, like Raven; controlling it.

He leaned his head against the doorway, fell to his knees…and cried.


	8. Go Or Don't Go

_Wow, such kind reviewers! My trio, Tia, Balkoth, and Clone Daniel—thanks again. _

_It looks like the end is near—but it's not quite there yet. There's still stuff that Terra needs to sort out._

**Chapter 7.**

Sometimes silence can be peaceful. But it can also be deafening.

For the three Titans waiting outside the infirmary, it was most definitely the latter. It had been only ten minutes, but it crawled.

Starfire, ever boundless with energy, paced back and forth in front of the door, arms crossed defensively. Her eyes looked conflicted with hundreds of emotions coming at once.

Robin of course was questionable about his feelings, which were hidden behind his mask. But the stillness of his face showed enough of his worry.

Beast Boy…Beast Boy was probably the worst of all.

He had cried in front of the door for two minutes after Terra had been torn from his grasp, and finally he had to stand by the door, leaning against the wall, eyes streaming tears but lacking life.

His eyes looked like his soul could bear this torture no longer. If Terra couldn't survive this, then he would fall apart. He just knew he would.

_Ring ring._

The sudden ringing of the hall telephone nearly made Beast Boy jump from the shattered silence. But he didn't even flinch.

Starfire, however, jumped a little bit and stared at the device hanging on the wall curiously. "Who would be calling us by phone?" she wondered.

Robin stood up and picked up the receiver.

"Titans Tower, Robin speaking," he stated.

"_Hello, this is Omar Markov. I just moved into town and I've heard about my daughter having connections with you."_

"Who-What's your name again, sir?" Robin asked, hardly daring to believe what he just heard. Could this man really be Terra's father? He had thought she had no living family left.

"_Omar Markov. I'm Terra's father_," Omar clarified.

"Hold on, sir," Robin murmured, not exactly sure how to look at him.

He blocked the mouthpiece, and looked at his two teammates.

"Who is it, Robin?" Starfire asked.

Beast Boy nodded along.

"It's an Omar Markov," Robin replied. "He said he's Terra's father. Beast Boy, you know about her—Beast Boy? Beast Boy, what's wrong!"

Beast Boy had drastically turned pale in two seconds. "Hang…up that phone, Robin. He can't know she's here."

"Why not?" Robin asked.

"That man has made Terra do and see things that no one should ever do or see, especially when you're a child," the changeling growled.

"He…?" Starfire gasped.

Beast Boy nodded solemnly. "He did everything you have ever heard of to torture a little girl."

Robin, who had no intention of returning to the phone, had no choice but to weakly admit, "Beast Boy…we have to tell him."

"NO! We can't tell him, Robin!" Beast Boy pleaded. "If he finds her, he'll just hurt her again! Maybe this time it'll be even worse!"

"Sir…" Robin returned to the mouthpiece, "…Where are you living at right now?"

"_I'm_…" Omar cleared his throat, "…_in a facility_."

"A facility? For what, drugs?"

"Yeah. For years I've been an alcoholic, I'm afraid."

"What do you want with Terra?"

"I just want her to come see me. I'm not allowed to go outside, you see."

"Why do you want her to come?"

"I want to apologize for all that I've done to hurt her."

Robin was silent. He covered the mouthpiece again. "Did you two hear that?" he asked.

They nodded, with different facial expressions. Starfire looked concerned; Beast Boy looked angry.

"No apology will cover what he did to her!" he sighed.

"Beast Boy, we have to give it a chance," Starfire admitted. "Who knows? Maybe he HAS reformed."

Beast Boy still looked doubtful.

Robin sighed. "All right. One of us can go with Terra to visit with her father. Beast Boy, you know her best. You go."

Beast Boy nodded.

"But there must be some way we can help, too!" Starfire exclaimed.

"We'll keep in touch. Beast Boy, leave your communicator on so we can hear everything."

Beast Boy nodded again.

"All right, sir. We'll meet tomorrow morning, bright and early," Robin concluded, and hung up.

BBB

Beast Boy was the one who was designated with the duty of telling Terra about the call.

Two minutes later, Cyborg allowed him into the room, where Terra was laying on the mattress, sound asleep.

She no longer looked sickly. Her skin had become rosy again; it even glowed a little bit. She had been changed into her Titan uniform, which brought a wonderful wave of nostalgia over the changeling.

Raven had obviously cleaned her somehow; her hair was dry and shining, as well as her skin.

It seemed to him that the reality of Terra wearing her uniform made it official that she was back; that she remembered.

Raven stood near her, looking a little spent.

Beast Boy sat down in a chair at Terra's side, and he looked up at the empath.

"What happened to her, Raven?" he whispered.

"A severe case of hypothermia," Raven replied. "Sleeping out in the low 30's with only a T-shirt and shorts on in November won't exactly pull you through. Not to mention that the heater by her turned off in the middle of the night."

Beast Boy looked at the geomancer's face, so peaceful.

"You know she might not want to visit her father," Raven added.

The changeling's head snapped up. "How did…oh. Empathy, right… Yeah, I know she might not."

"But you have to tell her."

"Raven, you guys don't understand," Beast Boy tried again, "Omar has hurt Terra in ways that are unforgivable and cruel. He raped her when she was _seven_."

Raven looked away.

"He hit her daily. He let her burn on the stove like it was nobody's business."

"Beast Boy, stop it," Raven cried out, covering her mouth. This was familiar to her own past, but she didn't want to say anything.

He opened his mouth to say more, but he lost his zeal, and he sighed. "I'm sorry…I just hate to imagine that Terra was hurt like that. It's not your problem."

"Yes, it is, Beast Boy. Terra's problems are our own. We're family. She's family, too."

If Beast Boy noticed Raven's sudden acceptance towards her, he didn't say anything about it. He somehow knew that she would in the end.

"She's going to be all right. Nobody's going to hurt her again," Raven reassured him, and left the room to give them some well-deserved time alone.

Beast Boy looked over at her, and watched as she began to stir. She opened her eyes, and looked over at him; her eyes filling up with such sadness it nearly broke his heart.

"Hey, Ter…you feeling all right?" he asked in a tender voice.

She nodded. "Yeah. I feel better than I have in ages, actually. How long have I been asleep?"

"Well you kind of floated in and out of consciousness this morning when Starfire and Raven brought you in. Do you remember coming in?"

"… …No… …"

"Well, you told me that you remember everything, and…I accept your apology."

Terra looked at him. "I told you the truth?"

He nodded.

"Oh, good. And thanks for the acceptance."

"No problem, Terra."

They sat in silence for a while, letting their own thoughts fly.

"Terra…" Beast Boy began, "…while you've been recovering…your father called the Tower."

Terra's eyes bulged as she looked at him.

"How? Where is he?" she asked. Her voice was one of those you got when you were trying to stay calm, but still your fear crawled out.

"He's in a facility for drugs here in Jump City," Beast Boy explained. "He seemed innocent over the phone, but I'm still scared for you. He wants you to come see him at the facility. He wants to apologize."

Terra sat back.

"I can't bring myself to believe he actually wants to…to heal," she finally choked out.

"I know. I can't, either," the changeling admitted. "Robin told me to go with you for support and protection, so you won't be alone."

Terra considered.

"And if things get out of hand?"

"My communicator will be left on, so they'll be hearing everything over here. Anything suspicious-sounding to them, they'll be over in a heartbeat. We won't let him hurt you again, Terra."

Terra sighed. "I…this is all wonderful that you're willing to protect me, but…I can't trust Omar anymore. He's gotten to the point where he's not accepted me as his daughter, y'know?"

Beast Boy nodded. "Terra, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. The others think you have to, but you don't. I won't let you go if you don't want to."

The geomancer was silent once more.

"… …I'm sick of this pattern I've been following. Ever since I've gotten out of stone, I've had fragments of memories I didn't understand, because I really_ didn't_ remember at the time. But as the pieces came together, and finally my awakening, I kept on running. I wanted to get away from everything and live a new life.

"But I can't do that in that fashion. I'm not going to run anymore. I've been running all my life. Running away from my father, you guys, Slade… Sometimes you have to face your problems instead of running away; or else they'll turn around and give you a slap in the face, like they did to me.

"I'm going to see my father tomorrow. I don't want to, but I need to do it. If I want to continue living this second chance I've been given, I'm going to do it right."

She looked up at Beast Boy for the first time since she started talking, and she was shocked to find that his eyes were full, his chin quivering.

He stood up, and embraced her in a tender, secure hug. Terra nearly gasped, and knew that the feeling was similar, but she just didn't know how. It was like she had never felt it in real life before—only in her fantasies.

"It's really you," Beast Boy murmured shakily, sniffling. "You're back…Terra…"

As Terra wrapped her own arms around him, and tucked her face into his neck, she realized where she had "felt" this position before.

It was in her imagination—on how a father or a big brother would hug you out of love. It would be strong, loving, and protective.

_Therefore_, Terra thought, with wet eyes, _Beast Boy loves me._

BBB

_Wow, more emotion and "coming out"!_

_Seriously, I was really touched by the reviews that my regulars gave. I'm not going to give you three the extremely long thank-you until the end of the story, which will, sadly, be in the near future._

_But…any suggestion after Terra's reunited with Omar? I'm kind of lost there. Thanks!_


	9. Reunion?

_FYI, Slade will not make an appearance in this story. It's not that I don't like him, because I do; it's just because I think if I wanted him to be in the story, I would've put him in earlier on. Now it's kinda too late…so I apologize to all my Slade-anticipating reviewers._

**Chapter 8.**

There was a tense atmosphere in the air for the Titans the morning after Terra's arrival. And it wasn't because of Terra herself; everyone had made her feel at home once again. It was because of the duty that lay before her that was so troubling.

Thanksgiving was the next day, so when Terra went into the Main Room she wasn't surprised to see Cyborg and Beast Boy peeking into the refrigerator, trying to find stuff to eat for the feast.

The Teen Titans Thanksgiving Feast was a big deal, for everyone that was called a Titan came to the Tower, where they brought out this special table that was really long and elaborate. Cyborg built it himself, but it didn't look mechanic. It looked like it was made by a blacksmith.

Starfire and Cyborg seemed to be in charge of the cooking, Raven with cleaning the Tower up, and Robin and Beast Boy making the invitations and making sure R.S.V.P.'s were done.

What would Terra's role in the holidays be? She didn't spend any during her time with the Titans previously.

Beast Boy heard a shuffle, and looked up from the door of the fridge.

Terra looked up at him, with a grim smile. She was wearing a blue, fuzzy sweater with really long sleeves that accented her eyes perfectly, and the little cleavage she had to its possible effect. She wore blue jeans and clean blue and black Vans.

The changeling gave her a warm smile. She really tried to look presentable, even if it was for a man who no longer considered her his daughter.

He had changed, too. He was in an All-American Rejects T-shirt, torn jeans, and Nike Shox, with red and blue colors.

She leaned against the bar table and grinned. "So, are you two deciding what we're eating tomorrow?"

They nodded.

"Terra, you aren't allergic to any foods, are you? Like, nuts or anything?"

Terra shook her head. "No. I'm not allergic to anything, at all."

"Okay, great. How do you like turkey made? We kinda like to have it blackened, and then we smother it with _gravy_…" Cyborg almost drooled.

"Yeah, I like it blackened and smoked," Terra replied, nearly laughing at Beast Boy's disgusted face.

"What is wrong with you people!" he sighed, smiling despite himself.

BBB

"I'm not scared," Terra thought aloud as she and Beast Boy approached the Jump City Treatment Facility, "So why are my hands shaking?"

She held up what her long sleeves revealed of her hands, and her fingers were indeed trembling.

Beast Boy grabbed both of her hands and held them in his, placing both by his heart. It felt warm to Terra's touch.

"You feel that?" he asked. "Do you feel my heartbeat?"

Terra flattened her hands against Beast Boy's chest, and she did feel a heartbeat—a very rapid one, at that.

"It's beating so fast," she murmured.

"I'm nervous, too, Terra," the changeling admitted. "But I know we'll be fine. You'll be fine. After all, you _are_ the strongest girl I know."

Terra couldn't help but smile.

"How can you be so nice like this?" she asked. "I feel like I'm never enough for that."

Still holding her hands, Beast Boy carried them up to his lips, where he kissed each finger, then both of her palms. Terra's heartbeat flooded her chest; a sensual chill rising up her spine and rebounding back to her toes. Her breathing became ragged despite herself.

"You are always enough for me," Beast Boy whispered.

With strength and newfound reassurance, Terra and Beast Boy walked through the doors to the reception desk.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the brunette lady asked kindly.

"Hi, I'm here for an Omar Markov," Terra replied.

"He's in room D5, sweetheart."

"…Thanks."

They walked to the elevator, rode two floors up, and found D5 to their right, with MARKOV tacked on the door.

Terra took a big sigh, and knocked three times.

"Who is it?" a deep voice called through.

"Dad, it's me," Terra replied shakily. She bit her lip and breathed again.

The door swung open, and a muscular figure yanked Terra from Beast Boy's grasp into a big bear hug that came off as totally unexpected.

Omar didn't look like a drunk. He had brown hair and a square jaw. He did not have a pot belly to be seen, he was tall and seemed to go to the gym quite often, for he had the bulky arms and narrow waistline of a weight-lifter.

Maybe he really _did_ heal.

After a few minutes upon Terra's tackle, he finally released her and ushered her and Beast Boy into the suite, which was basically an apartment-like complex; it had a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, and a nice bedroom with a balcony and a cable color TV.

"Sit down, both of you," Omar invited.

Terra sat down on the stiff, Victorian-like chair just across from him, while Beast Boy sat on the couch, watching them. He tried not to look too obvious that his sole purpose was to protect her, but he was scared.

Terra sat up straight, with her hands folded in her lap, eyes on her father. She did not smile. Her eyes lacked joy or light.

Omar sat back, crossing one leg leisurely, smiling. "So, how are you, Terra?"

"I'm fine, sir," she replied quietly.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Omar asked, his voice a little edgy.

Terra bristled. "Dad, this is my best friend Gar Logan," she replied using his full name, "Gar, this is my father Omar Markov."

Beast Boy shook Omar's hand. "Nice to meet you, sir," he replied.

"Likewise," Omar returned. His tiny black eyes focused on Terra again. "And how are your powers?"

"I have them under control, sir," she replied.

"Good. Have you been to your mother's grave?"

"Have_ you_?"

Omar's jaw tightened as did his fist. Beast Boy kept his eyes on it, ready to pounce. But Omar relaxed.

"No."

"I thought not." Terra gasped slightly. That was the wrong thing to say. "I-I mean, I'm sorry to hear that."

Omar didn't let it go. "Don't you even_ care_ about your mother, young lady?"

"Dad, please. I-"

"Don't '_please_' me!"

"Dad, I haven't really had the chance to see her grave. It's so far away from here."

"You have enough time to spend with your freak friends, but you don't have time to see your mother's grave? Terra, she possessed your sister element of nature!"

"I _know_, Dad. I _know_. I remember her just fine." Terra sighed and rubbed her temples painfully.

Beast Boy was shaking with anger already, and they haven't been there for ten minutes. But he couldn't jump in yet, he knew. If it got too much, then maybe…

"I guess you're too busy hanging over guilt," Omar grumbled. "After all, it _was_ your doing."

Beast Boy stood up. "Shut up! You can't talk to her like that!"

Omar stood up as well. "Nobody asked you for your opinion, Jolly Green _Shrimp_!"

Terra didn't tell Beast Boy to stay out of this. She didn't tell her father to be quiet and quit acting like a big baby, coming to see her only to look halfway successful in the staff's eyes, seeing that he had family.

"Dad, don't you remember? We discussed this already," Terra explained slowly, so he caught every word. "Mom was _sick_. She was _in pain_. She _ordered me_ to relieve her of her pain. That was the last thing I wanted to do, but I also didn't want her to hurt…"

"You had no control!" Omar boomed.

"Killing someone using my powers isn't rocket science, you know," she barked.

"Ha! You admit it! It was easy!"

"I'm not talking about my _abilities_, Omar! I'm talking about my _emotions_!"

There was a loud cracking sound as Beast Boy blinked. When his eyes opened again, he found Terra sitting up, eyes wide with her mouth agape, one hand on her cheek. Omar looked angry.

"Don't. Call. Me. Omar," he hissed.

Terra was silent for a few moments, in complete shock, as her face registered. Then, it became resolute. She lowered her hand, revealing the slight bruise. Beast Boy gasped.

"You haven't really been benefiting from this, have you? This facility, the Alcohol Anonymous meetings," Terra murmured calmly. No fear, no anger.

Omar was silent, too.

Terra stood up, and Omar and Beast Boy followed her. She opened the fridge, where she found a twelve-pack of Bud Light. Just what she expected.

She grabbed a can, and held it up, looking at it. "I see that nothing's really changed with you." She shoved it back in, and gave him a calm look. She looked so tiny compared to his height and build. And yet…to Beast Boy…she grew up into a young woman in five seconds.

"Your booze still matters more than your own flesh and blood," she stated.

Omar said nothing.

Terra shuffled past him, and grabbed Beast Boy's hand as she walked out of his room, down the elevator, and into the lobby.

She walked up to the receptionist. "Ma'am, Omar has a twelve pack in his room. You might wanna check it out," she said.

She didn't wait for a reaction. Still holding Beast Boy's hand, she walked through the doors and out into the crisp, afternoon air of November.

They got to the end of the block before Terra stopped walking. She looked up at Beast Boy, whose eyes were sad.

She grabbed him; he grabbed her. For a long time, on the corner of Smith and Valley, they stood like that, two souls with too much emotion at once.

_Well, there you have it. Wow, I think I developed some in this chapter here, in my writing…but that's up to the ever-criticizing Balkoth to figure out. He/She always gives the best constructive criticism._

_Any suggestions for the next chapter? Somehow I feel like there should be another element besides the Thanksgiving dinner._


	10. Hands of the Earth

_Well, I'm glad to get such nice reviews for that last chapter! I enjoyed writing it very much. _

_Sadly, this story has to come to an end sometime…but this will not be it. After this chapter, there will be one more following it. I promise…then I will continue on with other works. I already have an idea in mind for another BBTerra, but I will take up ideas…_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans**

**Chapter 9.**

"HEY! WHO SWITCHED THE SPICES AGAIN!"

Raven, from her position at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table, flinched at the sudden outburst.

"Sure, Cyborg, blow out my eardrums, why don't you…" she murmured irritably.

"Friend Cyborg, what is your cause of panic?" Starfire asked, floating over to him, hands soaked from washing the special dinner dishes. She wiped them on the seat of her jeans and landed on the tile floor.

"Someone switched the spices again. You know how I alphabetize them and I _hate_ it when they're switched!" Cyborg whined.

Beast Boy and Terra, who were breaking the edges off of the green beans on the couch, shared a smirk at each other. Terra covered her mouth as she tried not to giggle.

Cyborg caught it. "YOU TWO! GET YO _BUTTS_ IN HERE!" he thundered.

The two of them slowly sauntered over to the metallic teen, and put on innocent, doe-eyed expressions.

"We're sorry, Cyborg," they sang, trying not to giggle right there.

"…_Fine_." Cyborg gave them a secret smirk of his own as they raced back to their post, laughing hysterically.

Robin looked up from his newspaper and smiled.

"Hey, you two never spoke about today. How did it go?" he asked gently.

Suddenly it seemed that time was frozen. All heads were turned towards the couple, silent like the middle of the night.

Terra paused mid-tear on her green bean, and she sighed. "Let's just say that all that needed to be said…was said," she replied.

Beast Boy gave her a sympathetic smile as they continued with their task.

Robin and the others seemed satisfied with that, and they didn't ask for more. Beast Boy was relieved.

The moment after they left the facility, when they finally looked at one another, was a moment that was probably the tenderest, in Beast Boy's eyes. He seemed to really get a glimpse of _her_. For the first time, he thought he _really_ saw Terra.

A few minutes later, the cooking was done and everyone left to retire for the night. But Terra and Beast Boy stayed behind until every bean was perfect. Then, once they double-checked, Terra kicked back on the sofa, legs spread to the end, head against the armrest.

"Ahh…" she sighed. "Finally done. We just need to cook those tomorrow so they'll be perfect."

Beast Boy, who was sitting on the floor, suddenly seemed to let logic disappear and feelings dominate. He morphed into a cat, and meowed cutely, blinking in that special way cats did.

Terra grinned.

"Aww, come up here, puddy-puddy," she cooed, pinching her thumb and index finger repeatedly towards him. He didn't need the coaxing. He was already onto the couch close to where she lay.

He sat there for a minute, letting her pet his soft, velvety fur with one ungloved hand. He liked to morph into cuddly animals like dogs and cats for Terra. When she pet him it made him feel very turned on and romantic.

He used to do it with her all the time her first time around with the team. Now he was doing it once more, with a new advancement.

He gave her a steady look, and she locked eyes with the feline. He took a slow step with one paw and touched her tight stomach lightly, making the muscle twitch. Terra nodded.

"It's okay, BB. G'head," she encouraged.

He blinked once, his way of nodding, and he hopped up gently onto her stomach. It was a comforting, light weight on her, Terra figured. Not too heavy, but not weightless, either.

He kept a steady gaze on her, and she began to wonder what he was going to do. He seemed to be a little nervous, like she was going to shove him off.

_Like I would do that…_Terra chuckled in her mind.

He moved up gently, so he was more on her ribcage than her stomach. She stared at him; he stared right back. Even as a cat, his eyes never really changed. They still had plenty of emotions she could decipher.

She didn't know if it was because she knew him not only as a cat, but as a boy. All she knew was his gaze, and the strange increase in her heartbeat. Did the room suddenly get hotter…?

He lifted a paw, and began to knead with both of them. Terra gasped at the sudden touch, so small, so delicate. And yet, it sent electricity up and down her spine, making her dizzy and drowsy.

With each touch, his paw seemed to squeeze a little, with those tiny pads on the bottoms of his paws. He understood Terra's lack of a feminine chest, but he never cared.

Terra lifted both of her hands and began to pet him with both, up and down his back at first. She felt—and heard—him purr gently. She sighed, and covered her mouth with one hand to steady herself.

Beast Boy stopped, and looked at her with concern.

Terra gave him a friendly smile, and lifted her hand again, but not to his back. She began to stroke his face, his neck. With each stroke of her hands, his eyes closed in an immense state of satisfaction and his purring became louder.

Beast Boy loved Terra's hands. They were not like most girls', which were slender with manicured, perfect nails and super smooth skin. No, no.

Terra's hands were like a carpenter's or a blacksmith's, with calloused, strong palms from work; long fingers with short nails that have suffered chewing on and around them.

She held his face in those hands, those hands that belonged to a geomancer, a person who held the world in her powerful gift.

Terra paused, and they stared at each other for a long time. Beast Boy blinked three times, slowly. Terra knew exactly what he was saying, in cat language.

Terra blinked three times in return, carrying the same message. _I. Love. You._

The feline leaned forward, and so did Terra. She puckered up her lips, and they met. Terra felt the bristly fur of Beast Boy's lips, and she couldn't help but emit a small giggle.

Beast Boy morphed to normal, on top of her, and grinned. "What? Did my whiskers tickle you?"

"Maybe…but it was mostly your lips. They were furry," Terra chuckled.

Beast Boy laughed. "I can fix that," he replied, and kissed her. At first, it was a simple peck, but then it turned into a make out, their hands holding each other's, too nervous to travel anywhere else.

"Hold-Hold on," Terra gasped in between kisses, as he moved to her neck. "It's a little late, and we've got a big day tomorrow."

"Yeah. You're right. This is all I needed to do, anyway, to really make this day satisfactory."

Terra laughed as they got off the couch. "Oh, yeah?"

Beast Boy nodded, serious. "Yeah. I wanted to make this day a happy one for you. You deserve one hundred-million happy days, Ter. I like making you happy."

Terra grinned. "Thanks, BB."

"Anything…if you're happy, then I am, too," he replied, hugging her goodnight.

_Guess where I got the inspiration for this chappie? My own feline, Kepi Ann, of course! She does this to me all the time…it's great._

_But…seriously, reply if you have any ideas, even if it's a short story. I don't care._


	11. Thanksgiving and Really Giving Thanks

_All right, all right. Thanks for all the reviews, people. (FYI, I knew the chapter was short. I was just sort of lazy and didn't know exactly what else to write.)_

_Now, here comes the part that is bittersweet. The end of this continuation of the series' finale…which I think may be the best I've written up to this point. But I will not say that a lot, for it is up to YOU on the overall view._

_After the story, stay tuned for a special thank-you to my regular reviewers!_

**Chapter 10.**

Raven pursed her lips, like she always did in deep thought, as she looked over the recipe for stuffing. She knew that if it were to be especially delicious and not have that refrigerator taste to it, it should be made today, on Thanksgiving.

"Raven, I assure you that I remember how to make stuffing. I have my own recipe for it," Terra reminded her.

Raven smirked. "You just want to cook," she stated. "Was tearing the green beans not enough for you?"

"No, it wasn't," Terra answered honestly. "I know how to make stuffing that my mom used to make. It'll be the most delicious thing that's ever been in your mouth. You have my word!" she added jokingly.

Raven sighed, pretending to be stubborn. "Fine, you take charge. I'll set the table."

Terra smiled gratefully and began to bake instantly.

She and Raven were the only ones awake in the Tower. Actually, Raven was up first, but since Terra was a light sleeper, she heard Raven as the pots and pans were being placed out.

They still had to smoke the turkey, mash the potatoes, and rinse the salad for Beast Boy. His would be a big Caesar salad, because Terra knew how to make it and it was his favorite kind, with loads of feta cheese cubes.

For the most part of the early morning, the two girls rarely spoke to each other. It was mostly questions and answers ("What do we need to make?" "Turkey, salad, mashed potatoes…"). But there was this void that neither Raven nor Terra could ignore.

The dark girl looked up from the last placemat she set down, and eyed the geomancer carefully.

"You do know that we forgive you, right?" she asked.

Terra, who had just finished putting on an apron, looked up. "Um…yeah, I guess. Why?"

"I just wanted to let you know, in case you felt that you weren't exactly welcome here. Because we all talked it over…"

Raven couldn't help but allow a small grin grace her delicate, pale face.

Terra looked hopeful, but she didn't want to be too hopeful. Because what happed often when she became hopeful was that it would end up the exact opposite.

"I'm getting a feeling that it was about me…" she murmured.

Raven nodded. "Yes… We all decided that we want you to have a second chance as much as you do. Welcome back to the Titans."

Terra gasped. "Wh-What?"

Raven grinned, and reached into the pocket of her black dress pants, pulling out a communicator, holding it out to Terra.

"You deserve it. After all, if it weren't for you, none of us might be here right now."

Terra smiled, her eyes glassy as she accepted the gift, not hesitating to wrap Raven in a hug. "No. If it weren't for you, I might not be here right now," she whispered.

Raven, who was not used to hugs, still found the gusto to grin and give her a squeeze back. "Thanks."

They released each other, laughing awkwardly. Terra slipped back into the kitchen to shove the stuffing into the oven.

Once the stuffing was in order, Terra placed in the bird, and let it cook just as Raven finished setting the table.

Beast Boy awoke from his slumber by the sound of his stomach growling. He sat up in bed, and sniffed. There was a delicious aroma that he knew was from the kitchen; whether it was Cyborg or whoever it was, he didn't know. But he was starved.

He hopped out of the shower, and dressed in his outfit for that day: a black T-shirt underneath a white collared shirt, jeans, and black shoes. He let his hair hang messily wet from the quick shower he took, and he studied himself in the mirror, grinning a little.

This Thanksgiving would really be full of thanks for him.

With that realization in his head, he walked out the door and into the kitchen. He looked over by the stove, expecting Cyborg's thick frame, but was only greeted by a smaller form with long blonde hair in a messy bun, scratching her head.

"Terra, you're fine," Raven called from her place at the window, watching for visitors. "You can stop scrubbing the floor now. We have to shower, anyway."

Terra turned around, tucking a strand if hair behind her ear. "You sure, Raven?"

"I've got things covered here," the empath assured her.

Terra nodded, and suddenly noticed the changeling, giving him a smile. "Good morning, kind sir. Happy Thanksgiving."

He grinned back. "Ditto to you, Terra. You better go and get ready. They get here early."

"Okay," she replied, and as soon as she walked past him, she stopped in her tracks. "Whoa! What did you use in the shower?"

"Um…" Beast Boy was half embarrassed, half confused. "…_Very Sexy for Him_?"

Terra nodded with a coy smirk on her face. "Huh. I just asked 'cuz it nearly knocked me over…"

Beast Boy chuckled as she walked off to her room to shower and dress out of her pajama boxers and tank top.

Raven studied him carefully, and gave him a rare smile. "You know how happy she is, don't you?"

Beast Boy nodded. "Yeah. And…so am I."

"But…really. She should be sulking from what happened yesterday."

Beast Boy nodded, and walked to the window beside the dark girl, hands in his pockets as he stared out into the bay thoughtfully. Raven tried to maintain her composure as _Very Sexy for Him_ infiltrated her nostrils.

"I know. She's so strong, but…sometimes I wish I could just grab all her troubles, stuff them in a bottle, and toss it out far as I can into the bay…I hate it that she's gone through so much."

Raven was quiet for a while, thinking about what he just said. She peeked over at him, and was shocked to find tears in his eyes.

"I hate to see her _hurt_…" he sighed, wiping his eyes.

Raven was quiet for a little longer, before she finally spoke up.

"You know…if there was no such thing as pain, or loss, or whatever…people like us wouldn't come out so strong, right? We rise up from the battle, battered, but we learned something, and we get a second chance if we're lucky enough."

Raven laid a hand on the changeling's shoulder. "Terra's gone through a lot of things that are cruel, inhumane, and just plain shitty…but she's still got that little laugh out of her. It's like you; actually…you've suffered, too."

Raven looked away, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "I envy you two, actually. How you can live with the pasts you two have, and you can laugh and live…without fear…with love, happiness…it's amazing when you think about it."

She left the room, not even noticing Beast Boy stare after her with wondering eyes at the hardcore truth in her words.

Well, Terra wasn't completely happy, she decided as she stepped into the shower and began to lather herself with the body wash—vanilla scented. She loved vanilla; it reminded her of family holidays such as today.

_I guess all of my second chances don't work…_

At that very thought, Terra suddenly broke. She let the tears, hot and mixing with the hot shower water, flow down her face. She squeezed some Garnier Fructis shampoo into her hand, and lathered it into her long blonde hair.

She rinsed, and washed her body again, ashamed at her sadness. She felt she should feel at least halfway satisfied, but she still remembered her father's words.

_Have you visited your mother's grave yet?_

She knew she needed to go back, but…it was so far away…and she didn't want to go, for it was too painful a task. It was the same mother who asked her own daughter to kill her.

_I would do it myself, honey…but I can't summon a vine to hang myself…_

_No, Momma. Don't ask me to do this, I love you, and Daddy does, too. He really does._

_Terra, my earth…my terra cotta…please…_

Terra hugged her body, lacking curves, and let the tears flow some more.

Her father had not changed a bit. Her past was still behind her as she ran away from it. She told herself she wasn't running anymore. But she was. She always had been.

It was a habit; a deadly, horrible habit.

Terra stepped out of the shower, and dried herself off. She walked over to her bureau, and slipped on a small bra and panties before pulling out a pair of nice jeans and a red turtleneck much like the blue one she wore yesterday. She slipped on some black flats to complete the look.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and was a little surprised. With her hair brushed and dried, it looked angelic, seemingly. Her skin seemed to glow, with her scars showing only slightly.

She really looked better—and felt a little better—than she had five days ago. Was it really only five days ago did she see Beast Boy for the first time…?

It seemed more than five days; it felt more like five weeks.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She rushed over, and opened it up to reveal Beast Boy, so tall, smiling at her.

He had really grown in her absence. He had grown taller, and looked more like a man than a boy.

"You ready? They're all here," he said, offering her his hand.

She nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

They started down the hall, hand in hand. Beast Boy smiled at her. "You look very nice, Terra," he said simply, but he was intimate; sweet.

She smiled modestly. "Thanks. You don't look too bad, either."

He smiled. "Yeah. Well, I try…"

Terra giggled. "Yeah, I know you do."

As she laughed, her hair swished a little, and he caught a whiff of the fruity scent, and he paused.

"Hold on, there," he said, and he pulled her close, holding her head by his face, sniffing her hair.

"Yes, I still use Garnier Fructis," Terra chuckled.

"Your hair still smells delicious," Beast Boy murmured. "And so does everything else."

"Thanks, Beast Boy. I'm glad to smell _Very Sexy for Him_ not so strongly anymore."

He laughed as they walked through the doors out into the Main Operations Center

After the hellos and introductions, everyone sat down to the table, Beast Boy and Terra sitting across from each other purposefully. Robin and Bumblebee sat at opposite ends of the table, as the leaders of the two major teams.

"Happy Thanksgiving, everyone," Robin began.

"Happy Thanksgiving," they all replied.

"Does…someone want to say the grace?" Starfire asked from her seat next to Robin.

"Please don't pick me; I've done it for the past two years, and I'm not very good at them anyway," Raven stated.

"Beast Boy, you have a lot to be thankful for; why don't you do it?" Bumblebee offered.

"Um…okay," Beast Boy agreed. He had never gotten this honor before.

Immediately, everyone bowed their heads and folded their hands together, silent, waiting for the changeling to begin.

"…God…I just want to say thanks for all of us Titans to be here…all of us," he repeated meaningfully. "We have someone here whom we thought wouldn't come back this soon. I'm just…really glad that she made it in time. And I know everyone else is happy to see her again, too. But…thanks for this family that is the only one most of us have.

"Thanks for the bird, and for all the other things we're about to eat, thanks to the people who prepared it for us. Thanks for…such wonderful friends…thank you. Amen."

Everyone nodded, muttered an "amen", and Terra tried to appear calm and unaffected, but her eyes were swimmy, anyway.

Cyborg brought out the bird, and thus began the feast.

Two hours later, after everyone had gone home, the Titans were cleaning up or sleeping, too full and sleepy to do anything else.

In Terra's room, she and Beast Boy lay together on her bed, taking a catnap together, but not exactly asleep.

"That pumpkin pie Starfire made was delicious," Terra noted.

"Your stuffing was my favorite part. It was _way_ better than Cyborg's," Beast Boy complimented.

"Thanks."

They lay in silence, simply happy to be with one another.

"Terra?"

"Hmm?"

"You know that I'm really, really happy that you're here, right?"

"Of course. I'm happy to be back, too."

Beast Boy readjusted Terra's position, and made her head rest against his chest, so he could stroke her face, her hair.

"I've missed you, too," she whispered, hugging him tightly.

"So…you're staying, huh?" he asked.

"Of course I am, silly!"

"I just wanted to be sure. I don't want to hold you down, Terra."

"…Thanks. That's really respectful."

"I want you to be happy." Beast Boy studied her carefully, his eyes full of care and love.

She stared right back, laying a hand on his chest. "I am happy, Beast Boy. I have what I've always wanted three-fold; a brother, a father, _and_ a lover all rolled into one person."

Beast Boy smiled. "Same for me, only I have a sister and a lover."

The Norah Jones CD in the stereo began the twangy introduction to "Don't Know Why" as the two lovers snuggled underneath the quilt and slunk off into their dreamscape.

_Oh, my gosh! Is this story really over!_

_Well, then. I can't tell you how much fun it's been, writing this thing. I've developed, I believe, in my writing, and I'm already starting on another story following this. Look for it posted soon._

_Now, for the thank-you message to my trio of regular reviewers…_

_**Tianimalz**: Thank you for all of your enthusiasm and faith in me. You are an exceptional writer and fellow BBTerra shipper, and you stuck with me from the beginning. Nobody ever did that before, and I thank you very much. I consider you a friend._

_**Clone Daniel**: Thank you for all of your simple "Wow! I can't wait to read the next chapter!" reviews. I know they seemed simple, but they really came across, man. It's one thing to say that someone likes the chapter; it's another to say that you liked the chapter so much that you still want to stick around for the next. Thanks, man._

_**Balkoth**: Dude, you were seriously a big help in this story. You offered criticism and hints more than anyone else, and I think it's made me improve, don't you? So far, this is the most successful story I've ever written, and I think I owe about a fourth of it to you. If it weren't for your tips and faith in this story, I don't think it would've come out as well as it did. You're a friend of mine, too, man. Thanks. _

_Well, until the next story comes, up, goodbye, everyone!_

_AlohaFox aka Chloe_


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